Loom for weaving tufted pile fabric



April 16, 1929. E, CLARK 1,709,608

LOOK FOR WEAVING IUFTED FILE FABRIC Filed March 19, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR I TTORNEY April 6, 1929. E. F. CLARK LOOM FOR WEAVING TUFTED FILE FABRIC 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 19, 1926 W A ggzwmla BY Jir April 1.6, 1929. CLARK 1,709,608

LOOM FOR WEAVING TUFTED PILE FABRIC Filed March 19, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 TTORN Y Patented Apr. 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE F. CLARK, OF LEAKSVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO MARSHALL FIELD MILLS CORPORATION, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

LOOK FOR WEAVING TUF'IED PILE FABRIC.

Application filed March 19, 1926. Serial No. 95,873.

This invention relates to improvements in looms for weaving tufted pile fabric wherein tuft yarn carriers, commonly called tube frames, of a series thereof are successively brought into an operative position by carrying chains to deliver rows of tuft yarns to a row of yarn grippers to be received by the grippers, cut by a suitable cutting device,

and transferred by the grippers to or near the fell of the fabric into which they are woven as pile tufts, without disengaging the .ube frames from their carrying chains.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple and efficient mechanism for successively and accurately positioning the tube frames with respect to row of yarn grippers for the proper registration of the yarn strands with the grippers, such mechanism including a means to en age both the top and the bottom of the central portion of each tube frame, and also including a means to engage the bottom of the end portions of each tube frame in combination with means to engage the top of the central portion of each tube frame, whereby all parts of each tube framethroughout its length will be positioned with precision irrespective of irregularities which may occur in the tube frames due to warping and other causes.

With the foregoing and related objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention,

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, partly broken away, of a loom provided with positioning mechanism for the tube frames, embodying my invention.

' Figure 2 is a front view of the upper portion of the loom.

Figure 3 is a plan of the tube frame positioning arms and adjuncts shown in Figure 2, part of the loom frame being shown in seetion.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional'detail, on line 44 of Fig. 2, showing one of the central tube frame positioning arms and adjuncts.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail, on line 55 of Fig. 2, showing one of the end tube frame positioning arms and adjuncts.

Figure 6 is a plan of the parts shown at the right hand end ofFig. 5.

Figure 7 is a front view of the parts shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the free end of one of the end tube frame positioning arms.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional detail, on lme 9-9 of Fig. 2, showing one of the central tube frame positioning arms and the tube frame bar.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the frame of the loom, 3 the breast beam comb, 6 the woven fabric extending from the comb 3 to and around the usual take-up roller 7, and 8 the warp threads extending rearwardly from the fell of the fabric at the comb 3.

The end standards 10 of the frame 2 are provided with upwardly extending overhangmg portions 11 supporting bearings which carry a shaft 12 which extends across the up-, per portion of the loom. This shaft 12 is provided with spaced sprocket wheels 13 around which pass sprocket chains 14 adapted to carry a series of spaced tube frame for carrying the tuft yarns, one of which is s own at 15. Only portions of the chains 14 are shown in the drawings. They are, as usual, made endless and are guided and supported by a number of sprocket wheels, not shown, so that the chains may be periodically advanced by the usual well known mechanism a distance equal to the space between two of the tube frames carried thereby to bring them successively into'the position, or substantially into the position occupied by the tube frame 15.

The tube frame 15 is of usual form, comprising a long, horizontally extending bar 16 provided with end brackets17 which are connected to the chains 14 in the usual, well known manner to permit slight movement of the tube frame relatively to the chains, and to permit the chains to carry the tube frames suspended therefrom. The tube frame 15 is provided with the usual spool 18 upon which are woundtuft yarn strands, the free end portions 19 of which extend from the spool 18 to and through tubular guides 20 which are carried by and extend downwardly from the bar 16, as shown in the drawings.

As the tube frames of the series thereof like the frame 15 are successively brought into the operative position now occupied by the frame 15, the ends of the tuft yarns 19 projecting downwardly from the bottom of the tubes 20 are grasped by a row of yarn grippers 21 which draw them downwardly through the tubes 20 and in front of a suitable cutting device 22 a distance equal to the length of a pile tuft. The cutting device 22 is then operated to cut the strands above the grippers, and, thereafter, the grippers lower the cut lengths of strands to a position near the fell of the fabric 6 to be woven into the product of the loom in the usual manner.

The yarn grippers 21 are arranged side by side and correspond in number with the tubes 20, each gripper 21 receiving a yarn strand from a tube; and each gripper 21 includes two jaws 23 and.24 which are pivoted together, at 25, to permit them to be closed and opened to grasp and to-release the yarn strands. Any

approved gripper may be employed, and any approved mechanism for. operating the gripers, as above described, may be employed. he grippers 21 herein illustrated are of the type shown in my Patent No. 1,594,605,'and the may be operated by the mechanism shown an described in said application.

The mechanism thus far described being known to persons skilled in this art, no detailed description or illustration thereof is deemed necessary herein.

After the chains 14 have brought a tube frame like the frame 15 approximately into the position shown in Fig. 1, each time a row of pile tufts are to be inserted into the fabric, the frame is accurately positioned with respect to the grippers 21 by raising it slightly and by moving it endwise and forward or backward or both endwise and forward or backward to bring the tubes into proper registry with the grippers 21 to deliver yarn strands thereto; and I shall now describe the mechanism for thus accurately positioning the tube frames in accordance with my present invention.

J ournaled in hearings on the loom frame 2 is a rockable shaft 26 provided with a rearwardly extending arm 27 which is connected by a rod 28 to a lever 29 which is fulcrumed, at 30, on the loom frame. The lever 29 is provided with a roller 31 which is held against a cam 32 on a shaft 33 by a spring 34, one end of which is attached to the arm 27 and the other end of which is attached to the loom frame, whereby, when the shaft 33 is rotated, the cam 32 will rock the shaft 26. The shaft 33 is 'ournaled in hearings on the loom frame 2 an it is provided with a gear wheel 35 in mesh with a pinion 36 on a power driven shaft 37 of the loom, whereby the shaft 33 is rotated in harmony loom.

The shaft 26 is provided with two widely spaced arms 38 which are fixed thereto and which project downwardly therefrom. The lower end portions of these arms 38 carry a shaft 39 w ich is fitted to turn therein and which is provided with a rearwardly extendwith the other mechanism of the ing arm 40 which is connected by a rod 41 to a lever 42 which is fulcrumed, at 30, on the loom frame. The lever 42 carries a roller 43 which is held against a cam 44 on the shaft 33 by a spring 45 having one end attached to the arm 40 and the other end attached to the loom frame 2, whereby, during the rotation of the shaft 33, the cam 44 will rock the'shaft 39 in its bearings in the arms 38.

The shaft 39 is provided with tube frame positioning arms 46, 46 which are adapted to engage the respective end portions of the tube frames, and which are alike excepting that they are made right and left; and the shaft 39 is also provided. with two intermediate tube frame positioning arms 47 and 48 arranged to engage the central portion of each tube frame of the series thereof.

The end arms 46 are fitted to turn on the shaft- 39 and they are supported in positions projecting forwardly from the shaft 39 by springs 49 encircling stems 50 which project fixedly from laterally extending lugs 51 on the arms 46 and up through holes or openings in arms 52 which project fixedly from the shaft 39 adjacent to the arms 46. The springs 49 act between the, arms 52 and heads 53 on the freee'fids of the stems 50 and normally hold the'lugs 51 of the arms 46 up against the arms 52 andthus yieldably connect the arms 46 and 52 in a manner'to cause the arms 46 to be moved byand with the arms 52 and to permit the arms 52 to be moved upwardly with relation to the arms 46 when the upward movement of the arms 46 is arrested by devices presently explained.

The free ends of the arms 46 are provided with cavities 53 which receive the respective ends of the bar 16 of the tube frame 15 when the arms 46 are raised. The side walls 54 of the cavities 53 are flared or beveled upwardly and outwardly to receive the ends of the bar 16 and direct them to the center of the cavities 53 for forward and back positioning purposes; and the facing end walls 55 of the cavities 53 are flared or beveled outwardly to engage the ends of the tube frame bar 16 and move it longitudinally in either direction to position it with respect to the grippers 21 when the arms 46 are raised.

The free ends of the arms 46 are also provided with outwardly and upwardly extend ing projections 56 arranged to be engaged by stop bars 57 to arrest or limit the upward movement of the arms 46 and the stop bars 57 are provided with inverted V-shaped notches 58 which receive the correspondingly shaped upper ends of the projections 56. The walls of these notches 58, cooperating with the projections 56, not only hold the arms 46 against lateral displacement, by springing or otherwise, when the projections 56 are engaged with the bars 57, but they also serve to stop the upward movement of the arms 46 in accurate positions for the proper positioning of the slots 62 permitting vertical adjustmentof the bars 57 relatively to each other and to the I-beam 59. The stop bars 57 have lugs 63 on the upper ends thereof which extend rearwardly over the I-beam 59 and carry adjusting screws 64 which arescrewed into and through the lugs 63 and bear upon the I-beam. When the bolts 60 are loosened, the screws 64 support the stop bars 57, and, by turning the screws 64, when the bolts 60 are loose, the

bars 57 may be accurately adjusted either up or down, as desired.

The arm 48 is secured to the shaft 39 and the free end portion thereof is provided with a cavity 65 (Fig. 9.) for the reception of a button or projection 66 on the bottom of the bar 16 ofthe tube frame when the arm 48 is raised to position the central portion of the tube frame.

The arm 47 is also secured to the shaft 39 and, like the arm 48, its free end portion is provided with a cavity 67 to receive a projection 68 on the bottom of the tube frame bar 16 when the arm 47 is raised, to position the central portion of the tube frame 15.

Pivoted, at 69, on the arm 47 is a dog 70 which is movable on its pivot from the inoperative position, shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 4, to the operative position, shown by full lines. When in the operative position, the dog 70 extends over the central portion of the tube frame. bar 16 and prevents upward, movement thereof relatively to the arm 47 and also relatively to the end positioning arms 46. 46; and when the dog (0 is in the inoperative position, it permits the arm 47 to be lowered and moved back from the tube frame bar 16 to permit the tube frame 15 to be carried forwardly away from the-position shown in the drawings and to permit the next succeeding tube frame of the'series thereof to be carried by the chains 14 into the position above the yarn grippers 21 to deliver tuft yarns thereto.

The dog 70 is pivotally connected to the forward end of a spring rod 71 which slides through a hole in a guiding bracket 72 secured to the arm 47 and which has its rearward end pivoted to one arm 73 of a bell roller 80 adapted to be engaged by a cam 81 on the shaft 33 to operate the lever 77, rod 76, lever 74 and rod 71 to move the lever 71 against the action of a spring 82 from the position shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 4 to the position shown by full lines therein, and to permit the spring 82 to return the lever 74 to the position shown by dot-anddash lines, and thereby move the dog 70 from the inoperative to the operative position and back again. One end of the spring 82 is attached to the lever arm and the other end thereof is attached to the loom frame.

The operation of my improved mechanism is as follows:

Each time a tube frame of the series thereof like the frame 15 is brought by the carryingchains 14 approximately into the posi j tion shown in the drawings, the cams 32, 44 and 81 operate the arms or levers 27, 40 and 74 for the operation of the tube frame positioning arms 46, 47 and 48 and the holding dog 70. As the arm 27 is lowered by the cam 32, the shaft 26 is rocked to move the arms 38, 39 and positioning arms 46, 47 and 48 forwardly to move the forward ends of the arms 46, 47 and 48 into a position beneath the tube frame bar 16, and when the arms 46, 47 and 48 are thus moved forwardly, the cam 44-operates to lower the arm 40 and thereby rock the shaft 39 to raise the free ends of the positioning arms 46, 47 and 48 which engage the tube frame 15 and raise it slightly to position it properly with respect to the yarn grippers 21 and cutting device 22. .After the positioning arms engage the tube frame 15, the cam 81 lowers the lever 74 from the dot-and-dash line position shown in Fig. 4 to the full line position shown therein to move the dog 70 into the position shown in Fig. 4 to engage the top of the central portion of the tube frame. As the positioning arms 46, 47 and 48 are raised, the ends of the tube frame bar 16 enter the cavities 53 in the arms 46 and the flared side walls 54 of the cavities serve to receive and position the tube frame with respect to its forward and back adjustment on the positioning arms, while the cam 32 operating the arm 27 controls the forward and back position of the positioning arms 46, 47 and 48; and, as the positioning arms are raised the outwardly flared end walls 55 of the cavities 53 serve to receive the ends of the tube frame bar between them and position the tube frame with respect to its endwise adjustment if it should be out of proper position. The cam 32 controls the extent of the upward movement of the free ends of the intermediate positioning arms 47 and 48 for the proper vertical adjustment of the tube frame. but the extent of the upward movement of the end positioning arms 46 is controlled by the stop bars 57 which they engage and by which they are arrested under the yielding action of the springs 49, as'previously explained. It will now be understood that when the tube frame 15 is raised by the positioning arms 46, 47 and 48, the central portion of the frame is held down within the limits of the upward movement of the positioning arm 47, and that if the tube frame bar 16 is warped or out of true, the upward pressure of the end arms 46, and the downward pressure of the centrally located dog 70 will straighten the bar 16, and hold it firmly in proper position with respect to the yarn gripp ers 21, and also that the holding of the central portion of the tube frame between the arm 47 and dog 70 will firmly hold the tube frame in position to deliver yarn to the grippers, irrespective of any warping of the tube frame bar. It will also be understood that by adjusting the stop bars 57 either up or down independently of each other, upward movement of the end positioning arms 46 may be arrested in different positions relatively to each other so that the parts may be adjusted to raise either end of the tube frame more than the other to compensate for irregulartities in the tube frame such as variations in the lengths of their end brackets 17.

After the tube frame has been properly positioned by the arms 46, 47 and 48 and dog 70, the yarn grippers 21 are operated in the usual manner to grasp and draw the ends of the tuft yarn strands 19 down through the tubes 20 and the cutting device 2:2 is moved to the active position shown in Fig. 1 from its inactive position rearwardly thereof, and it is operated to sever or cut the strands 19 which are then carried to and woven into the cloth 6 in the usual manner.

Following the cutting of the strands 19 by the cutting device 22, the cam 81 permits the spring 82 to move the dog 70 to the inoperative position, the cam 44 permits the spring to lower the free ends of the positioning arms 46, 47 and 48 and the cam 32 permits the spring 34 to move the shaft 39 and the positioning arms back a short distance to an inoperative position which clears the space beneath the path of the tube frames to permit the chains 14 to bring the next succeeding tube frame of the series thereof approximately into the position of the frame 15 to be acted upon by the arms 46, 47 and 48 for a succeeding positioning operation.

\Vhen the arms 46, 47 and 48 have been lowered and retracted into the inoperative position, as previously described, the free ends thereof rest upon the cutting device 22.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a loom for weaving tufted pile fabric and in combination, a tube frame, a carrier movably supporting the tube frame, yarn grippers, means to engage the ends of the tube frame and position it with respect to the grippers, and means to engage the central portion of the tube frame and position it with respect to the grippers, the last named means including two relatively movable parts adapted to embrace a portion of the tube frame, and means for effecting relative movement between said parts to embrace and release the tube frame, the grippers being operable to grasp and act upon tuft yarn strands carried by the tube frame while it is held in position by said means.-

8. In a loom for weaving tufted pile fabric and in combination, a tube frame, a carrier for the tube frame, grippers operable to grasp and act upon tuft yarn strands carried by the tube frame, a carrying lever movable on a fixed fulcrum, a positioning lever fulcrumed on the carrying lever and provided with means to engage the tube frame and position it with respect to the grippers when the positioning lever is operated, means for rgcking the carrying lever on its fulcrum, means for moving the positioning lever relatively to the carrying lever into and from engagement with the tube frame, a part carried by the positioning lever and movable thereon into and from an operative position in which it is adapted to prevent upward movement of the tube frame relatively to the lever, and means to move said part into and from its operative position.

4. In a loom for weaving tufted pile fabric and in combination, a tube frame, a carrier for the tube frame, grippers operable to grasp and act upon tuft yarn strands carried by the tube frame, a carrying lever movable on a fixed fulcrum, a positioning lever fulcrumed on the carying lever and provided with means to engage the tube frame and position it with respect to the grippers when the positioning lever is operated, means for rocking the carrying lever on its fulcrum means for moving the positioning lever relatively to the carrying lcvcr into and from ongagement with the tube frame, a part carried by the positioning lever and movable thereon into and from an operative position in which it is adapted to prevent upward movement of the tube frame relatively to the lever, an operating lever operatively connected to said part, and cam controlled means for actuating the operating lever to move said partinto and from its operative position.

tion, yieldable lost motion means for raising said arms, independently adjustable stops adapted to be engaged by said arms to limit the upward movement thereof, and means to engage the top of the central portion of the tube frame between said arms to limit the upward movement thereof.

6. In a loom for weaving tufted pile fabric and in combination, a tube frame, a carrier for the tube frame, grippers operable to grasp and act upon tuft yarn strands carried by the tube frame, a shaft rearwardly of the grippers, end arms carried by and projecting forwardly from the shaft and constructed to engage the ends of the tube frame and position it with respect to the grippers when the shaft is operated, an arm carried by and projecting forwardly from the shaft between and spaced from the end arms and rovided with means to embrace and engage the top and the bottom of the tube frame and to position the central portion of the tube frame with respect to the grippers when the shaft is operated, and means for operating the shaft.

7 In a loom for weaving tufted pile fabric and in combination, a tube frame, a carrier for the tube frame, grippers operable to grasp and act upon tuft yarn strands carried by the tube frame, a shaft rearwardly of the grip ers, end arms carried by and projecting orwardly from the shaft and constructed to engage the ends of the tube frame and position it with respect to the grippers when the shaft is operated, an arm carried by and projecting forwardly from the shaft between and spaced from the end arms and provided with means to engage the top and the bottom of the tube frame and to position the central portion thereof with respect to the grippers when the shaft is operated, said means including two relatively movable parts adapted to embrace the central portion of the tube frame, means for efi'ectin relative movement between said parts to em race and release the tube frame, and means for operating the shaft.

8. In a loom for weaving tufted pile fabric and in combination, a tube frame, a carrier for the tube frame, grippers operable to grasp and act upon tuft yarn strands carried by the tube frame, a shaft rearwardly of the grippers, end arms carried by and projecting forwardly from the shaft and constructed to engage the ends of the tube frame and position it with respect to the grippers when the shaft is operated, an arm carried by and projecting forwardly from the shaft between and spaced from the end arms and provided with means to engage the top and the bottom of the tube frame and to position the central portion thereof with respect to the grippers when the shaft is operated, said means including two relatively movable parts adapted to embrace the central portion of the tube frame, cam controlled means for effecting relative movement between said parts to embrace and release the tube frame, and cam controlled means for operating the shaft.

9. In a loom for weaving tufted pile fabric and in combination, a tube frame, a carrier for the tube frame, grippers operable to grasp and act upon tuft yarn strands carried by the tube frame, two spaced positioning arms adapted to engage and move two spaced parts of the tube frame when the arms are moved, an operating arm for each positioning arm, independently acting yieldable means causing the positioning arms to be moved when the operating arms are moved, said positioning arms being movable independently of each other relatively to their operating arms, a cam, and means operated by the cam for moving the operating arms.

10. In a loom for weaving tufted pile fabric and in combination, a tube frame, a carrier for the tube frame, grippers operable to grasp and act upon tuft yarn strands carried by the tube frame, two spaced positioning arms adapted to engage and move two spaced parts of the tube frame when the arms are moved, an operating arm for each positioning arm, independently acting yield-able means causing the positioning arms to be moved when the operating arms are moved, said positioning arms being movable independently of each other relatively to their operating arms, a cam, means operated by the cam for moving the operating arms, and means for embracing the tube frame between said spaced parts and holding it in position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EUGENE F. CLARK. 

